Bolshoi dancer Tsiskaridze says he's victim of 'witch hunt'

8 February 2013 Last updated at 14:54 GMT

A principal dancer at Russia's Bolshoi ballet has accused its management of organising a campaign to discredit him.

In an interview with the BBC's Steve Rosenberg, Nikolai Tsiskaridze claimed the recent acid attack on the ballet company's artistic director was being used as an excuse to drive him out of the Bolshoi.

His comments come after Bolshoi manager Anatoly Iksanov told a Russian magazine the attack was the "natural consequence" of a chaotic situation created by Tsiskaridze.